The Ministry of Public Health on Friday reported 656 new cases of the coronavirus from 1,159 samples tested in the last 24 hours, taking the total to 23,546 across the country.

The ministry also reported 20 deaths from COVID-19 in the last 24 hours, bringing the total to 446.

The number of recovered cases, according to the ministry, reached 3,928 as 602 new cases of recovery were reported in the last 24 hours.

The new confirmed cases were reported in 18 provinces, with deaths in six provinces led by Herat with 13 (Kabul reported no deaths).

Other COVID-19 deaths were reported in Ghazni (2), Baghlan (2), Kandahar (1), Ghazni (1) and Sar-e-Pul (1).

Meanwhile, Kabul with 400 recovered cases in the last 24 hours was on the top of the list followed by Herat (125), Balkh (32), Kandahar (12), Logar (10), Ghazni (8), Daikundi (7), Kunduz (4), Paktia (1), Nangarhar (1), Nimroz (1) and Badakhshan (1).

Kabul was again on top of the list with 326 new confirmed cases followed by Ghazni (73), Balkh (37), Kandahar (33), Nimroz (20), Laghman (18), Herat (19), Kunar (19), Faryab (17), Paktia (17), Nangarhar (16), Badghis (13), Baghlan (12), Sar-e-Pul (10), Helmand (8), Samangan (5) and Farah (5).

So far, 53,705 samples have been tested in the country’s laborites, according to the Ministry of Public Health.

Figures by the Ministry of Public Health show that there are 19,172 active COVID-19 cases in the country and 19 patients are in severe condition.